Games with a developed economy. Economic strategies review and description. THE PATRICIAN series

Hello friends! Here I decided to describe the best and most popular economic strategies for PC. For reference, a city planning simulator is a game in which you can build one or more cities, or even entire planets, various buildings in it, and so on. The economic strategy of the German school is a game genre in which there is a large production chain. There are primary, secondary and tertiary resources. For example, having collected wheat, you must create flour from it, and create bread from flour.

Most city planning strategies have an economic component; you constantly need to monitor the income and expenses of your city. settlements or planets. If you have other games of this genre in mind, write in the comments, I will definitely add them to the list if they are interesting.

SimCity 2000

Release date: 1994

Genre: City planning simulator

SimCity 2000 is the second part of the SimCity series. The first part of the game was released on the console in 1989 and marked the beginning of a new genre - a city planning simulator. The game gained great popularity and therefore a sequel was released. In SimCity, the player usually does not have a specific goal, upon reaching which the game ends. The player controls the city, acting as the mayor. He is given the opportunity to collect taxes, build city buildings and pave roads.

Of course, not all aspects of city life are in the hands of the mayor - he cannot, for example, order where to build private buildings, but can only plan the territory, dividing it into commercial, residential and industrial zones. These zones are subsequently built up by city residents. If the attractiveness of a given zone in the eyes of urban residents is low (which may be due to high taxes in this area or insufficient development of other urban zones), it will not be developed.

The mayor has the ability to construct city-owned buildings, primarily power plants, police stations, fire stations, hospitals, schools and colleges, as well as buildings related to the city's water supply system, and so on.

SimCity 3000

Genre: city ​​building simulator

SimCity 3000 is the third part of the series that has undergone major changes in terms of landscape graphics. The player, as the mayor, has more troubles than the first two parts. Now, in addition to solving issues of taxes and population satisfaction, there are problems with city pollution and garbage disposal, power plants lose their usefulness with age. The number and complexity of urban services increased, and agricultural and industrial structures appeared.

Distributing and earning money is an important part of the game. When constructing new buildings and areas in the city, it is worth considering the cost of land or land. The game now offers the opportunity to make commercial transactions not only in your own city, but also with neighboring cities. The worries of the townspeople and natural disasters will constantly distract you from the construction and development of your city. It is necessary to increase the salaries of teachers, otherwise child crime will increase, to provide doctors to avoid an epidemic in the city. And police firefighters and other city employees will not allow you to wastefully use the city budget. The game SimCity 3000 can be called a complete simulator of city development.

SimCity 4

Genre: City planning simulator

The game allows players to use map modification to create a more convenient building site or to create a beautiful and unique landscape. Players can divide the city's land into special zones: residential, commercial, industrial, as well as create and maintain social security, transport, and utilities. In order for the city to develop successfully, players must manage finances, monitor the environment, and maintain the necessary quality of life for its residents.

SimCity 4 introduced a day/night cycle and other special effects that were not present in previous games in the SimCity series. There are also external tools that allow you to modify buildings. As in previous games in the series, the player plays the role of the mayor, who is tasked with the settlement and development of cities, which in the regional viewing mode act as individual sections or districts of the region. The player can choose any site to develop a city on.

The game also has three modes: God, Mayor, and Sim. In god mode, the player can completely change the landscape on which the city will be built and cause natural disasters. In mayor mode, the player is engaged in building the city and managing its economy and population. In Sim mode, the player creates characters in a rebuilt city who go to work, study, give birth to children, and so on. The game has additions SimCity 4: Rush Hour, SimCity Societies.

SimCity 5

Genre: G joy building simulator

As in previous versions, the key task of SimCity is city building. The player acts as a mayor - he is determined by his specialization and acts in such a way as to create a successful metropolis with happy residents. The game begins with the construction of infrastructure, zoning and provision of resources: Electricity, water, waste removal. As the population, capital, and construction of certain types of buildings grow, new opportunities will open up for the player.

The new version of SimCity is distinguished by deep elaboration: Curved roads, district zoning, visual and audio effects. Zone types will include residential, commercial and industrial. In addition, they created so-called constructed worlds. They allow you to plan your city and provide flexible settings for special buildings due to their modularity.

Anno 1602: Creation of a New World

Release date: 1998

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning strategy

From the very name of the game it should immediately become clear that the actions take place starting in 1602. The player must expand the possessions of a European nation and to do this, he must first colonize the island by rebuilding on it and developing the economy. As players progress, they are given the opportunity to colonize more and more islands.

Anno 1602 has the ability to create cities to your liking. The game is mostly economic, but sometimes you have to fight to defend your colony. As the population increases, new opportunities open up. Buildings and ships can be graded to improve their characteristics. The main task is to completely colonize the islands and increase the population.

Anno 1503: The New World

Genre:

Continuation of the Anno game series. The same gameplay remains. The player first looks for a small island, then looks for resources for the development of the state, and only after all this the development starts, houses are built, then districts, then entire cities. Created trade routes, established economic and military ties - all this will increase the chance of final victory. The population segments are the same as in the 1602 version: townspeople, merchants, aristocrats, settlers and pioneers.

The player will find authentic buildings of the 16th century - more than 350 different buildings. Detailed development of cities and infrastructure. Many different climatic zones with unique characteristics and features - from chilly tundras to hot tropics and deserts. Trade and diplomatic relations: from peaceful economic cooperation to military expansion. 4 types of combat units and 26 upgrades. The player can choose the path of economic or military development.

Anno 1701

Genre: economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

Anno 1701 is the third part of the series. As in the first two parts, we land on the island, begin to extract resources, build a village and develop the economy. A wide variety of buildings and combat units. Diverse multi-level production chain of resources (there are primary, secondary and tertiary resources).

The graphics have been improved and the economic component of the game is developed by achieving certain goals in your state. To ensure the transition from one level to another, it is necessary to create comfortable conditions for residents of the current level, as well as to reach a certain number of residents. Comfortable conditions are created by providing residents with a full range of goods, the construction of public buildings (such as schools, churches, theaters) and a reasonable level of taxation.

Anno 1404

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

As in previous parts, the main thing in the game is construction, economic development, increasing and pleasing the population. An integral part is also trade, through which funds and missing raw materials are obtained. Large industrial resource chain, big choice buildings, beautiful graphics and voluminous cities. The deferred cities amaze with their beauty.

The game world is divided into two culturally distinct zones. In Anno 1404, these zones were inspired, although without any claim to historical accuracy, by northwestern Renaissance Europe and the medieval Middle East, referred to as Europe and the Orient respectively. The most important difference from previous parts of the series is the need to build European and Eastern settlements simultaneously in order to ensure the progress of the population and expand construction capabilities. However, despite the ability to directly control the creation and development of Eastern settlements, the focus of the game remains on European settlements. The East remains Europe's trading partner, allowing its population to rise in class.

Anno 2070

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, urban planning simulator

Anno 2070 - takes us into the future to 2070, which has its own alternative history of human development. Human influence on nature has caused climate change on the planet, which is why the seas began to flood the land. The player will have to build huge megacities on the remnants of the earth's land, economically using the planet's natural resources.

Build giant cities on huge islands and explore new possibilities of the underwater world
Industry or ecology? For the first time, you can choose between two unique playable factions: Tycoons and Ecos. An endless game mode without a finale, you can tirelessly improve your creation.

Caesar III

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic strategy, City planning simulator,

A mixture of economic strategy and city ​​planning simulator. The game takes place during the dawn of the Roman Empire. The player takes possession of a small plot of land and begins to develop his own civilization, which will be able to compete with neighboring city-powers.

The game provides wide political and economic opportunities, and each new task can be completed in two ways - using diplomacy or brute military force. Caesar III is a classic city-planning strategy that stood at the origins of the genre.

Industry Giant II

Release date: 2003

Genre:

The second part of a business and logistics simulator. The game is set in a time frame from 1900 to 1980, and the player plays the role of a young businessman who must develop his production, using limited capital and being in a compressed time frame.

During the passage, the player will develop his own business: expand production, build new stores, look for new markets, build logistics routes, etc. As incomes rise and the output of goods increases, the surrounding cities will also develop.

Cities XL

Genre:

Cities XL is a city planning simulator similar in gameplay to the games described above: regulate the economy and take care of the needs of residents, engage in construction and improvement. The player's main task is to create a successful metropolis. The game combines elements of economic strategy; it will be necessary to control the expenses and income of the city, which are constantly in short supply.

An interesting feature of the game is the division of the population of your city into social strata. There are rich, poor, and middle peasants. Each social layer has its own needs. The rich can live only in elite areas of the city, so in order to increase taxes and the budget it is necessary to create an elite area and create all the conditions for this. Support for the poor is needed, for example, the availability of work for them.

Cities XL 2011

Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator

Cities XL 2011-the second part of the series, as in the first part, you need to build a successful metropolis and satisfy the city residents. Just like in the first part, much attention in the game is paid to the social strata of society. There are 4 classes: unskilled workers, skilled workers, administrators (service personnel) and elite.

Different social strata themselves decide where to live, it all depends on whether you have created comfortable conditions. For example, if there are not enough security, police stations or other buildings in an area, then the elite will never settle in it. Among other things, you will need to deal with the city’s economy, monitor production, agriculture, commerce in the city. Provide citizens with sports and
cultural leisure.

Cities XL 2012

Genre: Economic strategy, city planning simulator

Cities XL 2012 - continuation of the series. Made on the engine of its predecessor and has undergone very minor changes. New buildings and maps appeared, and some influences on the social strata of the population changed. But overall it's the same game with the same gameplay.

The game allows you to feel like a real city manager, balancing the economic and energy development of cities, forming transport infrastructure and planning housing construction, providing services and recreational opportunities to all residents. Cities XL 2012 features over 1,000 unique buildings across 60 massive, stunningly detailed 3D maps, making it the world's most realistic city builder.

Release date: 1994

Genre: E economic strategy of the German school

The Settlers - released back in the early 90s, gained great popularity and marked the beginning of the series economic games Settlers. Already in those distant times, a simplified system of self-sufficient farming was born. In the game you will have to create an economy based on a closed society, providing itself with all resources and products.

At first glance, the economy in the game is simple. For example, to get logs, you just need to build a woodcutter's house and build a road to it. However, two problems arise here. First, the trees are running out. And secondly, the logs themselves, it seems, are not used. The first problem is solved by installing a forester’s house, which will plant new trees. And the second is the construction of a sawmill. And such problems with all industries (and there are many of them).

Genre: E

The Settlers II is all about resource gathering and settlement building; creation of an army and expansion in order to capture new sources of resources; attacking the enemy with the goal of intercepting access to resources or destroying his army and camp. The game has both economic and military components.

One of the most favorite strategy games. It won’t be possible to rivet more troops and destroy the enemy base here. Very thoughtful gameplay with many dependencies. German pedantry raised to the absolute level. Despite the fact that the game is not boring, but on the contrary, interesting. A carefully thought-out system of increasing difficulty smoothly leads to enlightenment, creating a competent game balance. Think, think and think again. Well, enjoy the beautiful, somewhat childish and cartoonish graphics.

Genre: Economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

As in the second Settlers, in Settlers III the goal of the game comes down to building a functioning economy aimed at producing soldiers and further capturing enemy territories with their help. A serious difference from its predecessor is the lack of roads. The player is asked to lead one of three nations: the Romans, the Asians (actually the Chinese) and the Egyptians on the path to world domination.

A significant part of the game is occupied by the construction and arrangement of buildings. To produce all buildings, stone and wood are required, as well as special construction units. All buildings in the game are divided into industrial and mining, agricultural, military and general. The first group includes buildings that extract natural resources, such as, for example, Construction Materials or minerals (iron and coal) necessary in the future for the production of troops.

Agricultural buildings include buildings used to produce food for miners, as well as alcoholic beverages sacrificed to the gods. The group of military buildings includes watchtowers, barracks, a shipyard, and a siege weapons workshop. The fourth group includes: residential buildings used for the production of porters, temples, a market and docks.

Genre: E economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

There are four races in The Settlers IV: Mayans, Vikings, Romans and Dark Tribe. IN single player You can go through the game campaign for each of the nations and play against the computer on a single map. Multiplayer allows players to fight each other, or play in the “free settle” mode, where you can develop your settlement without the threat of attack from the enemy.

The largest Russian game portal Absolute Games gave the game 90%. The reviewer noted the game's high-quality gameplay and beautiful graphics. Verdict: “As a result, we have Settlers 4 - an excellent, insanely playable, graphically perfect project. “Our Choice”, we highly recommend.

The Settlers: Rise of an Empire

Genre: economic strategy of the German school, real-time strategy

The player's goals in The Settlers: Rise of an Empire are the following: development of the economic infrastructure of a medieval settlement (construction of roads and buildings, extraction of raw materials, production of goods), strengthening and protecting fortress walls, caring for residents. The settlers have various needs that must be met or they will go on strike. New world divided into four climatic zones, where seasons and weather conditions change, which affects the efficiency of resource extraction and the speed of expansion of the empire.

Rise of an Empire introduced female settlers for the first time in the series. The population of cities directly depends on the number of marriages. Trade fairs - the best place for searching for brides and grooms; They also maintain trade relations with other countries, bring in substantial profits and entertain people. For the first time in the series, the Knight unit appears, reflecting the player’s leadership level. As a military unit, the Knight becomes a key condition for the development of the settlement and the completion of quests.

The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom

Genre: German school economic strategy, real-time strategy, city planning simulator

The game has the same gameplay as presented in the latest 3D parts of The Settlers series. The player starts with a simple village and expands it sector by sector to eventually create his own kingdom. During this process, the player must organize production chains and build transport systems as correctly as possible.

In the game, the player is given the opportunity to choose between three unique development paths through which he can achieve victory: military, scientific and trade. Taking the traditional RTS military path of development, the player creates his own army and then, with the help of military might, defeat and destroy his enemies. Following the scientific path of development, the player must focus on researching technological improvements. And finally, following the trade path of development, the player will have to build his economy and try to capture the best trade routes that are on the world map. Whatever development path is chosen, unique units and capabilities will be available on it.

Tropico

Light of Altair takes us into the distant future. Planet Earth was destroyed after the third world war. The surviving countries concluded a truce agreement, but when the development of the planets began solar system Conflicts began over the colonies. Humanity is divided into several factions. The player will have to begin the exploration of the Moon, building power plants, hydroponic farms, and a laboratory. To extract minerals, improve the operation of buildings, and improve the fleet, it is necessary to master new technologies.

In addition to the construction and management parts, the game also has a combat component; orbital battles will occur regularly, as other factions will constantly try to recapture your colonies. Only you can decide to conduct diplomatic negotiations more often or to conduct fighting. Light of Altair is a colony building simulator. The player will be entirely responsible for the construction of the colony, from landing to the complete settlement of the planet.

East India Company

Genre: Economic strategy, economic simulator

In economic conditions close to real ones, players need to establish trade in tea, porcelain and silks. You have to take on the role of a British merchant (merchant) who is busy with the difficult task of increasing trade between Britain and India. In addition to speculative relations, the player will need to compete with competitors from other countries, periodically turning relations into a state of war. The game is suitable for those who like to engage in constant barter in games, increasing wealth and using economic leverage over competitors.

The game is somewhat reminiscent of Anno. True, in order to rebuild the city you need to capture it. The game is suitable for those who love trading and sea battles. Overall the game is not bad, the slightly monotonous gameplay gets boring over time. Graphically beautiful and pleasant, but at the same time it incomprehensibly heats up the video card, although it does not shine with technological perfection.

Cities: Skylines

Release date: 2015 Latest version 2016

Genre: City planning simulator

City construction simulator. The game is a modern city planning simulator with special attention to small details. In addition to the standard construction of main buildings, Cities: Skylines will require laying communications, creating roads, electrifying buildings, etc.

The game has great capabilities in construction and infrastructure development. Initially, the player begins his journey from a small quarter, which can later grow into a multi-million metropolis. Also, the player must constantly monitor the parameters that affect the city residents and their mood.

Transport Fever

Release date: 2016

Genre: Economic simulator, management,

Economic strategy with elements of a logistics simulator. The game covers a wide time frame - from 1850 to 2050. During this period, the player will be able to go through a long journey from a simple steam locomotive and horse-drawn carriages, to high-tech hovercraft and modern electric vehicles.

In Transport Fever, the player will be able to fully build railway connections between cities, organize cargo transportation, and also manage public transport. Among the key advantages, it is worth noting the wide opportunities in the development of the transport business, excellent graphic design and generated cities.

Banished

Release date: 2014 Latest version 2016

Genre: City planning simulator

Strategic city planning simulator. The game offers you to take control of a small settlement of people who are cut off from the whole world. Since there is no way to return to civilized society, the settlement begins to develop, turning into a new city.

The player’s main task will be to constantly monitor the condition of the residents. They have many parameters that are responsible for happiness, health and hunger. Each resident can die or get sick, so in addition to building the city and developing infrastructure, the player must take care of the surviving settlers.

Railroad Tycoon 3

Release date: 2003

Genre: Economic strategy, train games

Economic strategy in railway business networking. The player takes control of a small railway company that has a tight budget and minimal income. To correct the current situation, the player must become a real businessman.

The game touches on many economic details. In addition to the usual progress in the development of the railway, the player will be able to invest money in other companies or receive third-party investments. The game will delight you with a large number of real-life trains, as well as great opportunities for developing your own enterprise.

Offworld Trading Company

Release date: 2016

Genre: Real-time strategy, economic strategy

Urban planning strategy in a sci-fi setting. The game takes place on colonized Mars, which has become a profitable place for extracting valuable resources. Several mining companies are in constant competition, and the player will be able to choose one of them and try to completely oust competitors from the planet.

The main goal of the game is to develop the extraction and processing of valuable resources as quickly as possible, and then absorb smaller companies. Since the action takes place on an uninhabitable planet, the player should take care of life support systems and connecting communications between processing buildings and mining installations.

Forge of Empires

release date: 2012

Genre: Browser MMO

A multiplayer browser-based military-economic online game, the gameplay of which is based on the development of your settlement, starting from the Stone Age and ending with the oceanic future. And although the territory available for construction is initially very limited, it will gradually expand, giving the player the opportunity to build more and more new buildings and decorative elements.

PLAY

Despite the heavy emphasis on economics, the game contains battles. So, for example, on global map you can capture new provinces, expanding your empire, negotiate and interact with your neighbors, trading with them or fighting. There are also guilds (unions) in the game that allow players to help each other.

In a genre like strategy, you won't see incredible action or a beautifully written plot. These games will force you to think several steps ahead, think through different, clever moves and solve various kinds of problems. In our Top 5, we have collected the best economic strategies in which you will have to solve vital issues with limited resources, time and opportunities.

Anno 2070

Anno 2070 is one of the oldest and greatest Anno series of games. If you were into strategies, you might not know about this masterpiece. In this game you have to develop your city, managing all spheres of its existence. You will start with the usual extraction of resources and in the process everything will reach the international arms trade. You have to build your own raging one, colonizing islands and developing your metropolis.

Minimum system requirements Anno 2070

• OS: Windows XP
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+
• RAM: 2 GB
• Video card: nVidia GeForce 7800 / ATI Radeon X1900
• Disk space: 5 GB

Stronghold: Crusader 2

Stronghold: Crusader is a strategy that will allow you to fully immerse yourself in the times of the Crusades and the Middle Ages. Complete the Crusades as Richard Lion Heart and Saladin, Sultan of Syria. Lead an army of crusaders whose courage was forged over centuries in the hot deserts of the Middle East. Although the game is about wars, most of the time you will spend developing the economic power of your state.

Minimum system requirements for Stronghold: Crusader 2

• OS: Windows XP
• Processor: Intel Core2 Duo 2 GHz or faster
• RAM: 2 GB
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT 512 MB or AMD Radeon HD 2900XT 512 MB
• Disk space: 5 GB

Port Royale 3

Port Royale 3 - this wonderful strategy will take us to the era of sea battles and piracy. In short, the 17th century will be presented to you in all its beauty, where Spain, France, the Netherlands and England fight for colonies. The game is based on trading, and you will become a young captain who wants to become an influential person Caribbean Sea. You choose the policy of relations yourself, or you will become an honest trader or adventurer. This part of the game features a multiplayer mode for up to four players.

Minimum system requirements for Port Royale 3

• OS: Windows XP
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.0 GHz) / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+
• RAM: 2 GB
• Video card: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 / AMD Radeon X1600 / 256 Mb / DirectX 9
• Disk space: 4 GB

Civilization 5

Civilization 5 is a legendary series, the fifth part of which is one of the most famous in the field of economic strategies released for PC. You have to manage an entire state and the political and economic state will depend only on your decisions. You only choose the policy of conducting relations, either you will become an invader and decide the polls with a sword, or you will destroy a hostile state without leaving the capital. You will start with a primitive society and go through an incredible path to the present day.

Civilization 5 Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows 7
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz or AMD Athlon X2 64 2.0 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Video card: ATI HD2600 XT with 256 MB video memory or better, nVidia 7900 with 256 MB
• Disk space: 10 GB

SimCity

SimCity is a great city planning simulator. As in previous games in the franchise, the main task is to build and develop a city. The gamer will have to act as the mayor of his city, who will tirelessly have to fulfill the requests of residents and manage the economy. You have to decide the most various problems from lack of parking spaces, to natural disasters and alien invasions. It is also worth noting the nice graphics of the game and the highest quality of the models. If you have time for a full-fledged game, its smaller version is available for mobile devices.

SimCity Minimum System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP / 7
• Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4000+, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.0 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Video card: ATI Radeon HD 2×00, NVIDIA 7800
• Disk space: 11 GB

Each genre of computer games has its fans who prefer it to any other. One of these genres is strategy. They come in a wide variety of forms: real-time, turn-based, tactical, global, and so on. And each variety has its fans. Today we will talk about economic strategies.

This subgenre corresponds to all the canons of strategies, but at the same time, the emphasis is not on battles, not on any other aspects, but on the economy. Your main task will be the financial prosperity of the nation, group or any other entity that you will manage. In this article, you will learn what economic strategies are available on PC, and perhaps you will find the project that will make you love this genre with all your heart.

SimCity

Most popular game is SimCity. This series literally personifies economic strategies on the PC, because it was with it that the rise of this genre began. Back in 1994, the first part of this game appeared, in which the gamer is given control of an entire city. It needs to be built up, developed, and the population needs to be made happy. It is worth noting that this game is often attributed to the genre of urban planning simulator, and this tag also has a right to exist. In general, in the games of the SimCIty series, you will need to make every effort to achieve success, but not your own, but your city, because only its development matters.

Naturally, it is worth noting that it didn’t end there, and to date five parts of the series have already been released, each of which introduced something new, and most importantly, improved the graphical component. In the fifth episode, released in 2013, you can already see incredibly beautiful and realistic landscapes and buildings.

However, economic strategies on PC are not limited to this series. There are other projects that deserve attention.

Anno

Economic strategies on PC will take you not only to modern cities - you can also be sent on trips to the distant past, as, for example, the Anno series does. Each game allows you to take control of a specific nation in a specific period of time. For example, in the first game the action begins in 1602, and in the 2009 project - in 1404. Separately, it is worth noting the very last episode of the series, which was released quite recently. It stands out from the rest because it does not send you back to the past, but throws you into the future. The game is called accordingly - Anno 2070. You have to build a full-fledged city of the future with futuristic technologies and other relevant details.

Here, again, you will have to focus on the economic component - much less game time is allocated to battles and other moments. That's why Anno is an economic strategy. Games on PC are very diverse, and this genre also finds its fans, although fans of dynamic shooters sometimes cannot understand why gamers are attracted to rather passive and slow economic strategies.

CitiesXL

This series can be considered the younger brother of SimCity. The fact is that the gameplay is extremely similar to that of the most popular economic strategy. PC games are often similar, especially within the same genre, so this is not surprising. Moreover, you should better pay attention to the differences in this series, since they are available in quite impressive quantities. You have access to other buildings, the economic system that is at the core of these projects is fundamentally different, and there are many other nuances that you will quickly discover if you start comparing these two popular series. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that CitiesXL is a much younger project; the first part appeared on the market only in 2009. And if you are interested in the best economic strategies on PC, then this series is definitely one of them.

Settlers

This project is one of the most diverse. The fact is that the series began back in 1994, the same time as SimCity. But today there are already seven main games in Settlers, and there are also various add-ons that create dozens of hours of game content. And this is definitely not all economic strategies on PC - the list of Settlers projects will continue to grow.

In these games you will take on the role of the leader of a medieval community, that is, you will build your own royal castle, around which you need to develop a city, a village with its own inhabitants and the personal problems of each family. These games can also be described as military-economic strategies on PC, since they pay equal attention to war, economics, and scientific development.

Tropico

This series of games is special, as it is very different from the other projects that were described above. Here you will need to place special emphasis on economics and politics. Games in this series are often called dictator simulators. You have to act as the ruler of one of the Caribbean islands, on which you will establish your own power. You will need to keep the residents under control, but so that they themselves want to work for you. In parallel, it will be necessary to develop the tourism business so that it brings both direct income and profit from smuggling.

Port Royale

This is another game that mixes economics with warfare. Here you have to try yourself in the role of a pirate who is developing his own pirate community, or a pirate hunter who is preparing ships to catch bandits.

What attracts people to urban planning and economic strategies with business development? For some, the opportunity to feel a bit of power over the destinies of the settlers or staff entrusted to you, for others it pleases the pride of the inner architect, who was left without formal education, but wants to build houses.

However, even among such adventurers there are those who want to experience the full power of the factors and difficulties that managers have to face. This top 10 economic and urban strategy games is dedicated to all the mentioned categories of players.

Let's start, perhaps, with games with regional and country-level management. This strategy is from the authors Europa Universalis is almost its complete medieval analogue. And it is no less interesting in execution.

The plot of the strategy

On behalf of one of the states in Europe, Asia or Central America, you will have to make sure that it lived from 1066 (or earlier) to 1453 as successfully as possible compared to all the others.

Game process

If in Europa Universalis relations are built between states, then here relations with specific members of the ruling families and their courtiers come to the fore. It is not necessary to even start playing as a king - the title of mayor-domo may be enough for a start, and then follow the example of Pepin the Short and start your own dynasty. Need to find the Minister of Finance? Take a closer look at your nephew or trust the talented upstart baron. Need to defeat the enemy king? If you are lucky and have found a casus belli, he can be captured in battle, but if he has an offended favorite, you can send greetings through him in a glass of poison or on the tip of a dagger.

Is it worth playing?

Alas, the place of economics here is almost completely occupied by diplomacy. On the one hand, this is not bad, but on the other hand, this is still a top book about economic strategies. If you want to start playing “serious strategies”, but are afraid of difficulty, or you were conquered at one time The Sims: Medieval, perhaps this game can be a pleasant entertainment for you.

Like the previous top game, this strategy ended up here thanks to the ability to minimize military operations through economics and diplomacy.

What is the game about?

On behalf of the chosen European country, you have to win your place in the sun or even the whole world.

Gameplay

The well-being of countries and their constituent provinces can depend on many factors. In trade, one should not neglect involvement in existing trade flows or the creation of new ones; the existing fleet is sometimes worth using not for the sake of giving hats, but for exploring and colonizing new lands. Are you unlucky enough to end up as a small poor country on a couple of pieces of stone? Find strong allies, give your daughter a successful marriage, play off your neighbors and expand your lands when no one is able to oppose you.

Although there is no obvious goal, and the game ends with a victory over Napoleon (purely in time), the local detailed implementation of economic processes between countries and regions deserves special praise and special attention on your part.

You may be surprised by our decision, but we decided to put one of the best games Civilization series. There is still some kind of direct control of cities there.

The head of the chosen nation will have to lead his nation through time to world leadership. You can conquer the whole world, force everyone to recognize yourself as a leader, or fly away to conquer a star.

If we leave aside everything related to the management of a large state, then intra-city management is a simplified version of the same The Settlers, however, you most likely will not see your residents in person. A city is started by the Settler unit, which creates a settlement on a hex with a large amount of food, production points, or both.

The Worker unit arranges the city’s access to nearby resources, and one military unit can be placed in a garrison. In addition to constructing units, buildings, or wonders, the player can customize the activities of city residents to produce food, gold, production points, or science on tiles around the city. You can also assign specialists - scientists, engineers, traders and artists - to work in city buildings.

They increase the growth of relevant resources (production or science points, gold, culture) and accelerate the birth in the city of a great specialist who can advance the research of a technology or paradigm. Successful trade and diplomacy with neighbors can ultimately lead to global leadership.

An excellent strategy that is not suitable for everyone

We agree, this game is not at all about the construction and management of a city or other economic facility. However, in many ways its economic system was optimized compared to the previous part, and most importantly, achieving dominance through peaceful means became a reality. Do you want a little more than simple construction and arrangement? Pay attention to her. Well, here we go.

Seventh place is occupied by a surprisingly successful 2018 strategy for a game based on a film, judging by the reviews, combining simulators for managing an amusement park and a zoo, where you have to raise pets and make sure they don’t run away and eat each other and visitors. Unlike most games in the genre, it is available not only on PC, but also on consoles Xbox One and Playstation 4.

What is the story about?

For the Nth time, unknown geneticists cast a net and caught another isolated island. “Well, now will everything work out for us?” - they thought and continued their experiments with dinosaurs. Their competent breeding, maintenance and presentation to tourists from all over the world will have to be under your control.

How is it played?

Starting from one island, Isla Matanceros, the player must slowly, because... There is no provision for rewinding time, but it is true to build a highly rated park with dinosaurs. This includes the discovery of new species of pangolins with further breeding and release into a fenced area, and the construction of service and entertainment buildings for the park.

You will have to simultaneously monitor both the well-being of animals, which can starve, get bored, go wild and eat the rest, and the technical equipment. For example, problems with electricity will lead to exactly the same result as in the film. Dissatisfied employees different departments can also add problems by organizing sabotage, so keep your cursor on the rating and other indicators.

As the player progresses through career mode on Isla Matanceros, the player will discover four more potential sites, including the cinematic Isla Nublar. You can try them out in the sandbox without being embarrassed about allocating funds for your dream park. Separately, I would like to note the opportunity to join a safari group and watch the dinosaurs from the cockpit of their vehicle: they still put some effort into the graphics here.

Perhaps this game can be offered both to people who love themselves, and to those who will be looking for a reason to release the Tyrannosaurus rex. The spectacle is funny, although without much blood. Tycoon marathon runners should look for something more interesting.

In sixth place is the continuation of the adventures of El Presidente on pleasant-looking islands somewhere in tropical latitudes. When starting, you will need to register through Steam, Origin or another similar system.

You have been appointed governor of a distant colony on the other side of the world. But you can’t endure the whims of this crowned idiot forever? Ride the revolution and enjoy one-man rule. Or at least try.

The sixth part continues to develop the ideas proposed in the fifth. Starting in the era of colonial dependence, the player will have to slowly develop and rebuild the local settlement, while simultaneously completing tasks from the crown. Over time, the opportunity will arise to rebel and declare independence, and from this moment on, the game for the “banana republic” will become noticeably more interesting.

The immortal El Presidente will have to maneuver between various political forces, recruiting ministers from among them, and at the same time try to be re-elected for another term. Alas, it will not be possible to get rid of the dissatisfied with the help of prisons and repression; you will have to rely on carrots in the form of ecology, propaganda and cultural entertainment.

Successful management of the economy, which differs little from other games in this genre, will allow you not only to avoid popular unrest or a military coup, but also to increase capital in your personal account in a Swiss bank. A small but pleasant innovation is raids (depending on the era - pirates, spies, hackers, etc.), with which you can search for treasures, save drowning people and rob other people's ships and countries. In particular, you can steal one of the wonders of the world, which will become your tourist attraction.

The dictator simulator in the usual sense of the word still remains in 2011, although this part still carries the spirit of a small but very proud state somewhere between North and South America. It can be recommended both to lovers of Latin American flavor and to habitual players of economic strategies to relax a little.

We present the fifth top spot in the urban RTS from the authors of This War of Mine. Now players have the opportunity not only to play through the city building to the end (there is no sandbox mode here), but also to make a number of important ethical decisions during the game that will affect the ending.

Plot and gameplay

In an alternate 19th century, the world plunges into the darkness and cold of a new Ice Age. The best minds of the British Empire had already built several huge heat generators near the untapped mineral reserves in the north. However, huge construction projects undermined the British economy, and the generators were abandoned. Now, through the ice and snowstorms, the surviving remnants of human civilization have rushed to one of these generators from all over the planet...

At the beginning of the game, the player has at his disposal a small group of workers, engineers and members of their families - old people, women and children. With their help, you need to build houses and establish heat supply in them: outside the window it is -20⁰С, and a decrease in temperature will lead to damage to equipment, illness and death of settlers.

However, in the future, to support the growing town, you will have to think about social policy: whether to increase the working shifts for miners, whether to allow the distribution of normal portions of food from limited supplies, whether to allow children to work on an equal basis with adults. Hence the main question asked by the authors of the game: is it possible to still remain human in difficult conditions?

Is it worth running?

It will not be possible to replay this game many times - as soon as all the ways to achieve the endings become known, interest in it immediately subsides. And yet, this strategy can be recommended not only to fans of 11 bit creativity, but also to fans of a clear plot in games of this genre.

When the authors of two famous RTS series, Blue Bytes ( The series Settlers) and Related Designs (Anno series), take on a joint project, you inevitably expect something unusual or wonderful. In fact, they just came up with a pretty good environmental strategy about the future of humanity. It's difficult to say whether Ubisoft influenced this or whether it was due to other reasons. In any case, this game takes fourth place in our top.

What happens in the game?

As we were warned, by 2070, due to global warming, both polar ice caps will melt, resulting in the flooding of most of the land. The people who literally remained afloat on special ships, “Arks,” decided to populate the free territories. Now new factions will have to decide their fate further development humanity, taking into account or ignoring its past mistakes.

When selecting a single story passage the player will have to consistently play for two factions - the “Global Trust”, striving for unlimited loot useful resources, and Eden, whose ecologists are developing greener ways to obtain resources.

There is also a third faction, specialized in technological development, but you can only communicate with it through diplomacy. During the game, the player will encounter, in addition to the main factions, pirates, rogue traders, oil barons and other business NPCs of varying degrees of friendliness. Enemies can attack both on the water and under the water, so if desired, you can arrange a clash between armadas of submarines.

The gameplay, from building roads between buildings to researching new technologies, is not much different from other economic strategies. However, one of the factors influencing the frequency of natural disasters, resource extraction and the well-being of residents is the environment. If the city can't breathe, and the fish in the coastal waters float upside down after an oil spill, the population will be outraged, and your control over it will be in jeopardy.

This game is a fairly instructive strategy that can be recommended to both adults and schoolchildren. You shouldn’t look for any genre revelations in it, but the multiplayer mode will allow you not only to exchange resources in the sandbox, but also to complete joint missions.

Railroad Tycoon Series

Sid Meier is known not only for the Civilization series, but also for the Railroad Tycoon series about network construction railways. While working on the first game in the series, he formed one of the rules of game development: the pleasure should be received not by the developer or the computer, but by the player. As a result of following this rule, the series walked a fine line between casualness and a large number of tables and details of cargo transportation, leaning one way or the other. This series opens the top three of our top.

Build roads!

In the campaign mode, the player will be able to experience first-hand the difficulties of building the Transcontinental Railroad or establishing rail links between North and South Korea, depending on the chosen region and plot.

The construction of railways and the transportation of goods along them, if you haven’t thought about it, actually involve a huge number of factors - from banal purchases of trains and construction of tracks to the issuance of securities and the development of stations. The first part of the campaign talks about the history of US railroads, and by the third part they already affect the entire globe.

Despite the lack of a detailed transportation process, the player can be pleased with fairly detailed lists and authentic models of locomotives and other types of rolling stock, common at certain points in the history of the 19th-20th centuries.

In addition to campaigns, the game has single-player scenario and sandbox modes. In the third part, the game added the ability to play online with three other players via LAN or the Internet.

If you agree with Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory that trains are great, this game can either reinforce your love or make you remember the joke about sausage lovers and its production.

Since this is still a tycoon, it is important not just to build roads, but to make them a source of profit. Since everything coincides with you - both love and greed - then feel free to become the new Vanderbilt. In addition, the last part of the series was released back in 2006, so there should be no problems with launching it on weak and medium-sized PCs.

The Settlers series

The silver medal goes to one of the iconic European RTS with a focus on economics. Unlike other city planners, its developers from Blue Bytes wandered from antiquity to the Middle Ages and back. Like many games in this genre, The Settlers went to mobile platforms and browsers in the 2010s, although the announcement of a new part at Gamescom 2018 in Cologne promised a return to PC.

Plot of The Settlers

As such, all the games in this series do not have a cross-cutting plot. From the second to the fourth part, as well as in their sequels, the creators leaned towards the once popular Romans, and with them the Egyptians, Mayans, Vikings and other peoples of antiquity. From the fifth to the seventh part there was a conditional Middle Ages. Regardless of the setting, there was always one thing at the center of the plot - a small group of people had to gain a foothold on the piece of land they got, equip it and defend it against their opponents.

How to play?

The gameplay in most games in the series is reminiscent of Black&White (a god simulator) with the exception of divine interventions. In addition to the construction of buildings and defensive structures, the player must organize the extraction and production of resources, and hence the need for exploration and other things.

Directly ordering the little men will not work; you will have to create the necessary conditions for their activities. The same goes for troops: with the exception of a few units, you simply hire or gather troops and send them into battle with the hope of success.

All of the above could be both complicated by the change of seasons, the need to monitor demographics (without women, the village dies out) and the presence of people of several professions for the construction of industrial buildings, or simplified: in later versions of the games, warehouses are filled automatically. When passing story missions it is necessary to remember that winning at any cost is not a method; first you need to achieve stable development. Multiplayer modes in this series are not the most popular due to some contradiction between the principles of competition and the leisurely progression that is usual for the local gameplay.

Due to the implementation of control processes in later games in the series, they can be recommended to all fans of the city-planning genre. Earlier parts and their updated versions It is better to give it for review to connoisseurs of more detailed modeling of management processes. You can purchase all parts both on the official Ubisoft website and on Steam.

And yet this name came first. Two games are known under it. The first is the great ancestor of all participants in this top. Its creator, Will Wright, was called a genius, and Maxis got their hands on a brand that is still alive today. Second - last game series from those released for PC.

The plot of the best city planning simulator

The player, represented by the mayor of the city, will have to wisely conduct his locality to well-being and prosperity.

SimCity gameplay

In the first game, you can start either from scratch or by taking a ready-made city that is experiencing one or another plot event - an earthquake, a lockout, an attack by Godzilla, and the like. There is no goal as such here, and the session can go on indefinitely, but balance in the city is maintained with great difficulty.

There are few parks and many factories - residents are indignant that they can’t breathe, there are many residential buildings and few roads - huge traffic jams, crowds and more unrest. The construction of a nuclear power plant will provide the city with electricity and an exclusion zone in the distant future.

The new SimCity, in a sense, summarizes all of Maxis' experience in modeling urban processes and urban planning. The player chooses one of 14 regions and builds the city he wants in it, with the possibility of narrow specialization. An innovation can be called a multiplayer mode, which allows you to jointly develop several neighboring cities, establishing the exchange of resources between them.

Retro lovers should definitely get acquainted with this mastodon from the world of urban planning. Today there are both paid (SimCity Deluxe) and free (Micropolis) versions of the game for playing on PC, mobile devices and in the browser. If you don’t want to spoil your eyes with pixels, then you can pay attention to his grandson, but he will already require an Internet connection to turn on.

Do you think that not all games are top economic and city ​​building strategy games Did you get a decent rating? Or are you ready to add a few more to our list? Write about it in the comments!

Economic strategies, where players take on the role of the “Owner” of the city, attract attention due to the ability to personally manage the economy and construction, and sometimes fight the invasion of enemies and natural disasters. The most important thing in all this is the need to think with your head, because in order for the economy of your state to develop successfully, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions.

So, if you like economic strategies and want to play one of them, then check out our list of “TOP 10 economic strategies on PC”.

10. Total War: Rome 2

Of course, it’s difficult to call this game exactly an economic strategy, because in addition to economics, it combines war and global strategy, but it still managed to take tenth place in our top, because Total War: Rome is one of the best global strategy games in which the player will take the lead of one of the factions ancient Rome in the period from 270 BC. to 14 AD

Prove that your family is worthy of becoming the most powerful and gain all the power. Develop your faction's economy to achieve success as quickly as possible.

9. Civilization 3

Management of an entire state will fall on the player’s shoulders. It will be important to make economic and political decisions that will lead your state to triumph and make it great.

You can use any tactics to achieve victory. The recalcitrant can always be subdued with the sword, and those who are afraid can always be negotiated peacefully and come to a common conclusion.

Prove that you are a talented ruler, and not a slob incapable of prudently managing available resources.

8. Rise of Venice

A game that shows the world of economic strategies from a new perspective. After all, only here you will have to deal with the unique Venetian architecture.

This game is undeniably worthy of taking a place in the top economic strategies. Main story line will introduce the player to the events of the 15th century during the heyday of Venice.

Rise of Venice will surprise the player with an unusual implementation of actions, as well as quite intriguing gameplay. Please note that completing the game will probably take you no more than an hour, so it is better to do all your household chores in advance.

7. Anno 2070

Among fans of economic strategies, the Anno series of games is one of the oldest and most beloved. The project is dedicated to the construction and development of our own cities of different eras. You will have to deal with all aspects of economic life, from resource extraction to trade wars with competitors.

In Anno 2070, the player will have to manage a huge city. In order for a city to develop, it is important to control all areas of its life. Make sure that the townspeople have a good life in the city, otherwise they may simply run away. Increase your population, improve existing buildings and build new ones.

Each stage of construction brings with it certain problems, and therefore the player will be required to make serious and responsible decisions.

6. The Guild 2

Another game related to economic strategies took sixth position. Despite the fact that the game was released back in 2007, it still remains in demand among fans of this genre.

The Guild 2 will immerse the player in Middle Ages Europe. Passions are running high, events are heating up, and this makes it even more interesting. The story can change depending on the decisions the player makes, so when choosing something, think about how this decision can affect the future.

5. Cities XL 2012

Cities XL 2012 is considered the best economic strategy of the long-past 2012. However, the game remains popular among fans of games of this genre today.

The player will take on the role of a major city planner. The peculiarity of this project is that not one city will be built, but several at the same time.

The player is offered more than 1,000 different buildings and several dozen fairly detailed maps.

Please note that a huge responsibility falls on your shoulders for the citizens of the city and maintaining order and stability.

4. Civilization 5

And again Civilization. This time the fifth part of the legendary series of economic games, which is one of the most famous in the field of economic strategies released for PC. Of course, all the games in the series are good in their own way, but the fifth part of Civilization has raised the bar to unprecedented heights.

In the fifth version of the game, more buildings appeared, everything became much more realistic and interesting. The player will have to develop his nation and lead it through the centuries. You will have to start with the most primitive society and smoothly move to modernity.

In order to make the game easier, it is very important to earn the respect and love of the citizens of your city.

3. Port Royale 3

Port Royal 3 takes a well-deserved third position in the ranking of the best economic strategies.

The plot of the game is based on the events of the 17th century taking place in the Caribbean. It was precisely then that the conflict flared up between France, Holland, Spain and England.

The whole game is built on trading. You will have to produce and sell certain resources. Only you can choose to become an honest merchant or earn a reputation as an adventurer.

2. Second place went to the game Stronghold: Crusader

This is a strategy that will tell about the famous Crusade. The player will have to take part in the battle for dominance in the Middle East, but most of it gameplay What matters is not the war, but the construction and development of the state’s economy.

The game has become popular thanks to its beautiful graphics and adherence to the classics of the genre. The last part of the famous series called Stronghold Kingdoms For the first time, players from all over the world have the opportunity to compete against each other.

1. SimCity

First place undoubtedly goes to the best and one of the oldest game series in the economic strategy category. The entire series has long been known to players, and for its unique gameplay, as well as the abyss of possibilities for building and developing a virtual city, it deserves to be in first place.

The Sim City player is the main creator, master, boss or God, as you like. You have to build not just a city, but a huge metropolis with its own economy and developed industry. It is worth noting that not everything is so simple, because a wide variety of difficulties may arise on the player’s path, from a natural disaster to an invasion of alien forces.